This invention relates to exercise equipment, and in particular, to an exercise cycle in which a fan wheel's resistance to air may be varied without varying the rotational speed of the wheel and in which the handlebars may readily be switched between a reciprocating mode and a stationary mode.
Exercise cycles benefit the user by improving cardiovascular fitness, enhancing body tone and engendering an overall sense of well being. Exercise cycles often include only one wheel mounted for rotation on a stand. The wheel often has vanes or paddles which increase the resistance to air and thus enhance the user's workout. Typically, to increase the wheel's air resistance, the user has to pedal faster. There is no convenient way to vary air resistance without varying the rotational rate of the wheel.
To exercise the upper body while using an exercise cycle, the handlebars of many exercise cycles are connected to the pedals so that they will reciprocate between a forward and a backward position. Other exercise cycles have only stationary handlebars. U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,451 to Bersonett et al. discloses an exercise cycle in which the handlebars can be switched between an immobile mode and a movable mode. In the movable mode, the exerciser pushes and pulls on the handlebars to move them. The handlebars are not connected to the pedals and the user must coordinate the pushing and pulling of his arms with the cycling motion of his legs. Applicant is aware of no exercise cycles in which the handlebars, which are operatively connected to the pedals, may easily be switched between a reciprocating mode and a stationary mode.
One object of the invention is to provide an exercise cycle in which the wheel's air resistance may be varied without the need to vary the rotational rate of the wheel.
Another object is to provide such an exercise cycle in which the handlebars may easily be switched between a reciprocating mode and a stationary mode.
These and other objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the following description and accompanying drawings.